Mounting for material handling masts



Oct. 15, 1968 R. L. TWEEDALE MOUNTING FOR MATERIAL HANDLING MASTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1966 INVENTOR. MPH 1. rwffAL/f Y WML vx ulhfi Oct. 15, 1968 R. L. Twr-:EDALE 3,405,824

MOUNTING FOR MATERIAL HANDLING MASTS Filed Nov. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. zZ/:QLgL 60 10 BY RAM/f L rwff/:Lf

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United States Patent O M 3,405,824 MOUNTING FOR MATERIAL HANDLING MASTS Ralph L. Tweedale, Southfield, Mich., assignor to Massey-Ferguson Inc., Detroit, Mich. Filed Nov. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 592,935 8 Claims. (Cl. 214-138) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is concerned with excavators particularly of the type commonly known as backhoes wherein a material handling boom is mounted on a tractor mounted supporting frame. The boom carries a dipper stick with an excavating bucket mounted on the end.of the dipper stick. The dipper stick is pivotally mounted on the boom, and the boom is mounted on the supporting frame for pivotal movement in an upward and downward direction as well as from side to side. The boom, dipper stick and bucket are operated hydraulically. The entire boom assembly is mounted for angular adjustment on the supporting frame about a fore and aft axis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the nventz'on The invention relates to mountings for material handling devices movable in various paths relative to a support.

Description of the prior art Material handling apparatus of the type commonly referred to as backhoes include the type mounted on a transverse supporting frame attached to the rear end of a tractor or similar vehicle, the backhoe boom or mast being mounted for side to side Swinging movement on a swing unit carried by the transverse supporting frame. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,117,685, Davis, dated Jan. 14, 1964; 3,263,837, Noller et al., dated Aug. 2, 1966; 3,263,839, Hauff, dated Aug. 2, 1966; 3,270,894, Elliott et al., dated Sept. 6, 1966; and 3,276,603, Noller, dated Oct. 4, 1966.

The above referred to Patents 3,117,685 and 3,263,837 disclose mountings for backhoes which can be adjusted transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tractor to shift the vertical pivotal axis of the backhoe boom transversely of the vehicle to permit the excavating bucket to be operated alongside buildings, foundations, or fences. The bucket is however, confined to operate in transversely fixed planes relative to the vehicle on which it is supported, such planes being parallel to the surface of the ground on which the vehicle rests. Consequently, this class of excavating equipment has not been capable of being used for grading, shaping and contouring operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, the excavating bucket can be tilted about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so as to be operable in planes transversely inclined to the vehicle. In the preferred embodiments, the boom mounting includes a mounting plate Secured to the supporting frame in a manner such that it can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, or an axis parallel thereto, to tilt the bucket relative to the vehicle.

3,405,824 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a tractor mounted backhoe embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the backhoe boom mounting;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings, a transverse supporting frame 2 is mounted on the rear end of a tractor 4 having rear wheels 6, only one of which is visible in the drawing. The supporting frame 2 includes top, bottom and side walls 8, 10 and 12, respectively, and a rear wall 13 (FIG. 3). Mounted on frame 2 in vertically spaced parallel relationship is a pair of tracks or rails 14 on which is slideably mounted a boom mounting assembly including a swing unit designated collectively by reference numeral 16.

The swing unit 16 includes a bracket 18 on which is pivotally mounted a boom frame 24. Bracket 18 is secured to the supporting frame 2 by bolts or shanks 17 which extend through slots in track members 14 into engagement with slide members 19. Projecting rearwardly from bracket 18 are vertically spaced, parallel upper and lower arms 20 and 22, respectively. The mast or boom frame 24 includes a vertical body portion 25 having upper and lower bifurcated arms 26 and 28, respectively, projecting therefrom which receive the upper and lower arms 20 and 22, respectively, of bracket 18 and are pivotally connected thereto. Boom frame 24 is thus swingable from side to side with respect to bracket 18 about the pivotal axis between the bracket and boom frame arms. Mounted on bracket 18 between arms 20, 26 and 22, 28 is a rotary actuator or motor 30 which, when actuated, causes boom frame 24 to pivot with respect to bracket 18. The illustrated swing unit and motor mounting is that disclosed in Elliott et al. U.S. Patent 3,270,894, and reference may be had to the latter patent for a complete description of the structural details. However, it should be understood that the particular type of swing unit forms no part of the present invention, and other forms of swing mechanism and motors may be employed in conjunction with this invention.

Carried by the boom frame 24 is a backhoe assembly 32 including a boom or a mast 33 pivotally connected by a pin 34 with the lower end of boom frame 24. Boom 33 is actuated in a vertical plane about pin 34 by a hydraulic piston and cylinder actuator 35 having one end pivotally connected with boom 33 at 36, and its other end pivotally connected at 37 with the boom frame 24. Pivotally mounted on the end of boom 33 is a dipper stick 38 provided with a hydraulic actuator 39 which is pivotally connected at 49 with boom 33 and at 41 with the dipper stick. A bucket 42 is pivotally mounted on dipper stick 38 at 43 and is actuated about pivot point 43 by a hydraulic actuator 44. Actuator 44 has one end pivotally connected with the dipper stick at 45 and its other end pivotally connected at 46 with a link 47 and lever 47a interconnected with the bucket.

With reference primarily to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a mounting plate 48 is interposed between bracket 18 and the supporting frame 2. Guide members 50 are formed on mounting plate 48 which are received in the track members 14 to cooperate with slide members 19 in the manner disclosed in Noller et al. U.S. Patent 3,263,837. Projecting from the opposite face of mounting plate 48 from guide members 50 is a pair of arcuate spacers 52. The bolts or shanks 17 project from slide members 19 through openings in spacers 52 and are received in arcuate slots 54 formed in the -bracket 18. Nuts 17a are threaded onto the ends of shanks 17. Four such arcuate slots are shown in the illustrated embodiment, and it is apparent that bracket 18 can be rotated from the full line position shown in FIG. 2 about an axis normal to mounting plate 48 when the nuts 17a are loosened.

Projecting from the lower right-hand corner of mounting plate 48 as shown in FIG. 2 is an arm 56 for supporting one end of a hydraulic actuator having a cylinder 58 pivotally'connected at 60 to arm 56, and a piston 62 pivotally connected at 64 to a lug 65 formed on bracket 18. Retraction of piston 62 into cylinder 58 from the position shown in FIG. 2 will cause clockwise rotation of bracket 18 from its full line position shown in FIG. 2, and conversely, extension of piston 62 from cylinder 58 will cause counterclockwise rotation of bracket 18. Bracket 18 may be secured in any selected position Within the lirnits of the arcuate slots 54 by tightening the nuts 17a on the Shanks 17 of guide members 19, as well as by a hydraulically actuated slide 66 at the lower left corner of bracket 18 in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 4, the hydraulically actuated slide 66 has a shank portion 68 which projects through the guide and Spacer portions 50, 52 of mounting plate 48 through the lower left-hand slot 54 in bracket 18. Formed on the end of shank 68 opposite slide 66 is a piston 70 reciprocably mounted in a hydraulic cylinder 72 connected with a source of hydraulic fluid through a hose 74. A vent port 76 is formed in the outer wall of the cylinder 72. Admission of fluid through hose 74 actuates the piston in slide 66 toward the left to lock the flanges of the associated track member 14 between slide 66 and guide member 50.

The supporting frame 2 may further include a pair of stabilizing legs 78, 80 operated by hydraulic actuators 82 in the manner disclosed in Noller Patent 3,276,603, dated Oct. 4, 1966.

When bracket 18 is in the vertical, full line position shown in FIG. 2, the excavating bucket 42 operates in a horizontal plane P1 as shown in FIG. 2. When bracket 18 is rotated in a clockwise direction to the broken line position of FIG. 2, the bucket operates in the inclined plane P2. Rotation of the bracket 18 in the opposite direction permits the bucket to excavate along the plane P3. The present invention has particular utility in conjunction with the invention disclosed in my copending application entitled, Backhoe Having Straight Line Motion, filed concurrently herewith, Ser. No. 592,932, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, for grading and contouring operations.

As disclosed in the latter application, bucket 42 is caused to move in a straight line path from its extended to retracted .positions by means of a compensating mechanism designated collectively by reference numeral 83. The compensating -mechanism includes a compensating cylinder 84 mounted on the boom at 36 and having a piston 86 reciprocable therein with a cam follower 88 on the free end of the piston rod. Cam follower 88 engages the surface of a compensating cam 90 Secured to the dipper stick by conventional fasteners 92. The configuration of cam 90 is such that movement of the dipper stick about pin 94 causes appropriate movement of piston 86 into or out of cylinder 84. Cylinder 84 is hydraulically connected with the cylinder 35 by a hose 96 such that as piston 86 is retracted into cylinder 84, hydraulic fluid on the left side of piston 86 is forced through hose 96 into cylinder 35 on the side of its piston 3511 causing piston 35:: to retract into cylinder 35 and raise boom 33 about pivot point 34. Conversely, as piston 86 extends from the compensating cylinder 84, fluid is withdrawn from cylinder 35 on the side of piston 35a causing extension'of-piston 35:: from cylinder 35 and lowering of boom 33 about pin 34. The configuration of cam is such that when the bucket 42 swings in a downward path relative to pin 94, piston 86 is caused to retract into cylinder 84 and force fluid through hose 96 into cylinder 35 in a direction to raise boom 33 about its pivot 34 a distance Corresponding to the downward movement of bucket 42. As the Vbucket starts in an upward path relative to pivot pin 94,

the configuration of cam 90 is such that piston 86 begins to extend from cylinder 84 to cause Withdrawal of fluid through hose 96 from cylinder 35 and cause piston 35a to extend from cylinder 35 and lower boom 33 about pivot 34 a distance corresponding to theupward movement of the bucket relative to pin 94. As a result, pivot pin 94 moves upwardly about pivot pin 34 while bucket 42 moves in a downward path relative to pivot pin 94, and pivot pin 94 moves downwardly relative to pivot pin 34 when bucket 42 begins moving upwardly relative to pivot point 94 as it moves past the vertical. Consequently, the resultant path of the bucket is in a straight line as indicated at D in the drawing. The initial position of the boom 33 is determined by manipulation of manual control levers 98 which in turn determines the initial working position of the working teeth 100 along path D, or other straight line paths.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described in the foregoing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it Will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the exact construction shown, but that various alterations in the construction and arrangement of parts is possible Without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In material handling apparatus including a support, a boom having one end pivotally mounted on the support, a dipper stick having one end pivotally mounted on the other end of the boom, a bucket pivotally mounted on the other end of the dipper stick, a boom actuator mounted between the boom and support for pivoting the boom about the support, a dipper stick actuator between the boom and dipper stick for pivoting the dipper stick relative to the boom, and a bucket actuator between the bucket and dipper stick for pivoting the bucket relative to the dipper stick, the combination comprising, compensating means for causing the boom actuator to move said one end of the dipper stick vertically in accordance with the angular position of the dipper stick relative to the boom independently of the angular position of the bucket relative to the dipper stick to cause the excavating bucket to move in a straight line path without altering the angle between the dipper stick and the bucket, and a mounting assembly securing the boom to the support for side to side swinging movement as well as for downward pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis normal to the swing axis, said mounting assembly including means for rotating the boom about a fore and aft axis to a selected angular position relative to said fore and aft axis.

2. The construction claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting assembly includes a mounting plate Secured to the supporting frame, a bracket, means securing the bracket to said mounting plate for selective rotation about said fore and aft axis, and wherein said boom is secured to said bracket.

3. The construction claimed in clairn 2 wherein said mounting plate and bracket are selectively laterally shiftable along the supporting frame.

4. The construction claimed in clairn 2 further including hydraulic means for rotating the bracket about said fore and aft aXis.

5. The construction claimed in claim 4 further includ-- ing hydraulic means for locking said bracket in said selected angular position.

6. The construction clairned in clairn 1 wherein said mounting assembly includes a mountng plate, a bracket, bolts securing said mounting plate to the supporting frame, a plurality of arcuate slots in said bracket, one for each of said bolts, said bolts each being received in one of said arcuate slots, and means threadedly mounted on said bolts for clarnping said bracket in said selected angular position relative to the mounting plate, said boom being mounted on said bracket.

7. The construction claimed in claim 6 further including a hydraulic piston and cylinder actuator mounted between said mounting plate and bracket for rotating said bracket about said fore and att axis When said last named means are loosened.

8. The construction claimed in claim 7 further including hydraulic locking means between said mounting plate and bracket for securing said bracket in said selected angular position about said fore and aft axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,847,134 8/1958 Slate 214-138 3,155,25O 11/1964 French et al 214-138 3,263,839 8/1966 Hanif 214-138 3,304,100 2/1967 Long 214-138 X FOREIGN PATENTS 209,410 7/ 1957 Australia.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

